Fastest-Declining Occupations

Occupations with the steepest projected employment decline over the BLS Employment Projections decade.

The top-ranked entry is Word Processors and Typists at -36.1% (2,200 openings/yr). The full top 100 is listed below.

Ranked list of U.S. occupations from BLS and DOL data.
# Occupation Projected Growth
1 Word Processors and Typists -36.1% 2,200 openings/yr
2 Roof Bolters, Mining -34.2% 100 openings/yr
3 Telephone Operators -27.5% 300 openings/yr
4 Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service -26.3% 2,800 openings/yr
5 Foundry Mold and Coremakers -25.9% 900 openings/yr
6 Data Entry Keyers -25.9% 9,500 openings/yr
7 Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic -24.4% 100 openings/yr
8 Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining -22.3% 500 openings/yr
9 Telemarketers -22.1% 6,500 openings/yr
10 Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand -21.2% 800 openings/yr
11 Engine and Other Machine Assemblers -21.1% 2,800 openings/yr
12 Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic -19.6% 400 openings/yr
13 Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic -18.9% 600 openings/yr
14 Model Makers, Metal and Plastic -18.2% 300 openings/yr
15 Cutters and Trimmers, Hand -18.1% 600 openings/yr
16 Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters -17.5% 0 openings/yr
17 Order Clerks -17.2% 8,000 openings/yr
18 Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons -16.9% 100 openings/yr
19 Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks -16.7% 13,000 openings/yr
20 Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters -16.3% 4,100 openings/yr
21 Print Binding and Finishing Workers -16.1% 2,800 openings/yr
22 File Clerks -15.9% 7,300 openings/yr
23 Nuclear Power Reactor Operators -15.3% 400 openings/yr
24 Office Machine Operators, Except Computer -15.2% 2,800 openings/yr
25 Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers -15.1% 200 openings/yr
26 Prepress Technicians and Workers -14.6% 2,800 openings/yr
27 Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers -14.5% 2,800 openings/yr
28 Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic -14.4% 1,100 openings/yr
29 Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors -13.7% 3,900 openings/yr
30 Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic -13.6% 2,500 openings/yr
31 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic -13.6% 1,500 openings/yr
32 Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles -13.6% 600 openings/yr
33 Cooks, Fast Food -13.5% 82,100 openings/yr
34 Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials -13.5% 2,800 openings/yr
35 New Accounts Clerks -13.2% 2,300 openings/yr
36 Machine Feeders and Offbearers -13.0% 4,700 openings/yr
37 Tellers -12.9% 29,800 openings/yr
38 Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic -12.8% 1,200 openings/yr
39 Desktop Publishers -12.4% 400 openings/yr
40 Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic -12.1% 14,400 openings/yr
41 Meter Readers, Utilities -12.0% 1,300 openings/yr
42 Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic -12.0% 5,500 openings/yr
43 Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders -11.7% 1,000 openings/yr
44 Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan -11.6% 15,800 openings/yr
45 Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders -11.2% 1,700 openings/yr
46 Power Plant Operators -11.2% 2,500 openings/yr
47 Terrazzo Workers and Finishers -11.1% 100 openings/yr
48 Sewing Machine Operators -10.8% 13,000 openings/yr
49 Tool and Die Makers -10.8% 4,700 openings/yr
50 Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators -10.7% 13,500 openings/yr
51 Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters -10.5% 1,400 openings/yr
52 Bill and Account Collectors -10.5% 13,700 openings/yr
53 Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers -10.2% 300 openings/yr
54 Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders -10.1% 700 openings/yr
55 Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers -10.0% 2,700 openings/yr
56 Cashiers -9.9% 542,600 openings/yr
57 Carpet Installers -9.6% 1,100 openings/yr
58 Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other -9.5% 1,700 openings/yr
59 Brokerage Clerks -9.5% 4,100 openings/yr
60 Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other -9.4% 1,700 openings/yr
61 Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders -9.0% 3,200 openings/yr
62 Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders -9.0% 2,500 openings/yr
63 Helpers--Production Workers -8.9% 23,600 openings/yr
64 Gas Plant Operators -8.8% 1,300 openings/yr
65 Procurement Clerks -8.7% 4,600 openings/yr
66 Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators -8.4% 7,800 openings/yr
67 Locksmiths and Safe Repairers -8.3% 1,700 openings/yr
68 Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic -8.3% 1,900 openings/yr
69 Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage -8.2% 500 openings/yr
70 Printing Press Operators -8.1% 13,700 openings/yr
71 Correctional Officers and Jailers -7.8% 30,100 openings/yr
72 Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other -7.8% 21,300 openings/yr
73 Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners -7.8% 500 openings/yr
74 Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks -7.7% 69,300 openings/yr
75 Nuclear Technicians -7.7% 700 openings/yr
76 Fallers -7.3% 700 openings/yr
77 Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping -7.1% 9,000 openings/yr
78 Sewers, Hand -7.0% 700 openings/yr
79 Drafters, All Other -6.9% 1,300 openings/yr
80 Library Technicians -6.8% 13,000 openings/yr
81 Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders -6.8% 8,800 openings/yr
82 Library Assistants, Clerical -6.7% 12,800 openings/yr
83 Office Clerks, General -6.7% 282,400 openings/yr
84 Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service -6.6% 6,900 openings/yr
85 Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators -6.5% 10,700 openings/yr
86 Mechanical Drafters -6.5% 3,300 openings/yr
87 Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers -6.4% 4,000 openings/yr
88 Advertising Sales Agents -6.4% 9,300 openings/yr
89 Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers -6.3% 1,200 openings/yr
90 Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders -6.3% 8,100 openings/yr
91 Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks -6.2% 1,000 openings/yr
92 Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners -6.1% 1,200 openings/yr
93 Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other -6.1% 400 openings/yr
94 Chemical Plant and System Operators -6.1% 1,600 openings/yr
95 Fish and Game Wardens -6.0% 500 openings/yr
96 Transportation Security Screeners -6.0% 4,700 openings/yr
97 Computer Programmers -6.0% 5,500 openings/yr
98 Floral Designers -5.9% 5,100 openings/yr
99 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks -5.8% 170,000 openings/yr
100 Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants -5.8% 19,600 openings/yr

Other Rankings